


Hey Santa

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Thicker than Water [7]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Holidays, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-10
Updated: 2014-10-10
Packaged: 2018-02-20 14:24:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2432051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“People get nervous around the big guy.” Penelope reasoned.  “That’s why I made a list.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hey Santa

**Author's Note:**

> This story is told in the **Thicker than Water** universe. Most members of the BAU are teenagers and kids in this universe. It’s Christmas time and the kids are pretty excited. No one does excitement like Penelope Garcia.

“Penelope?”

“Huh?”

“Do you have to use the bathroom; should we get out of line?”

“We’re absolutely not getting out of line.”

“But if you have to use the bathroom…”

“I don’t have to use the bathroom.” She said.

“Well um…you're shuffling from one foot to the other.” Dave replied. “You're fidgeting.”

“I'm not fidgeting Uncle Dave. I'm just excited. I'm gonna see Santa and that’s cause for celebration, don’tcha think? Gideon says I'm ebu…ebul…”

“Ebullient.” Spencer said.

“Yes!” Garcia pointed at him. “I'm ebullient. I double checked and that’s a good thing.”

“It’s a very good thing.” Dave smiled.

He was standing in a long line in the Potomac Mills Shopping Mall waiting to see Santa Claus. He told Jason that he wanted to get each child something special for Christmas. He needed to know what they wanted. Jason told him that Penelope needed to see Santa and have an important conversation.

Dave thought that was the perfect opportunity. He didn’t think he still believed in Santa by the time he was ten, but Penelope was not your average kid. Spencer had tagged along for the ride. Plus he couldn’t be 100% sure this Santa thing wasn’t real. Just in case it was, and he was wrong, he wanted to let him know what he really wanted.

“Do you think this might be the real Santa, Uncle Dave, and not one of his representatives?” Penelope asked.

“What?”

“I mean, the beard looks real. Check it Spencer, doesn’t the beard look real?”

“I think his beard is real.” Spencer replied.

“See, real beard, real Santa. I don't know though, Santa in an outlet mall…that’s a stretch. Still, I won't be a skeptic, don’t want the big guy thinking I don’t believe or anything. I know he’s busy, Christmas is in three weeks. That’s why I need to tell him what we want before its too late. Do you know how insane the shopping is gonna be?”

“I thought Santa made the toys.” Dave replied.

“Well he used to, a long, long, long time ago when you were a kid. But he doesn’t have to do that anymore…he can go to Toys R Us.”

“But then the elves are out of a job.”

“Nope.” Penelope shook her head. “The elves do all the shopping. Santa is a busy man, Uncle Dave; he can't do it all. He has to keep track of who’s naughty and nice plus watch the Weather Channel so he’ll know conditions all over the world for his sleigh ride.”

Dave nodded, it was logical. Penelope seemed to be very logical when it came to Santa. He looked at Reid, smiling at the skepticism in the eight year old’s eyes. One shouldn’t be skeptical at eight. But Spencer was a genius, an off the chart genius.

Sometimes being super smart meant great myths like Santa were going to be lost before they were even fully captured. Not that Penelope was a dummy, she just had faith. She admitted in the car on the way there that there was a probability, however small, that the Santa skeptics could be right. But as long as she had faith and believed in Santa in her heart, then he was real. Morgan told her it was OK to believe in what she couldn’t see, as long as she felt it in her heart.

“This line is slow.” Reid said. “On average, it should only take 3 to 5 minutes to get your picture taken and tell Santa what you want. This line is moving on a 7 to 9 minute average.”

“How do you know that?” Dave asked.

“I did the math.” He replied.

Dave thought about asking what math but he might not understand what Spencer was talking about. Asked and answered was going to have to be good enough for him.

“People get nervous around the big guy.” Penelope reasoned. “That’s why I made a list.” She pulled the folded piece of paper from her purple purse. “I'm not gonna forget anything.”

“Good plan.” Dave said.

“Yeah, Gideon told me to do it. I forget things when I get excited. I think the line’s moving more now.”

She was dancing again. It was getting hot in her winter coat so she let go of Dave’s hand to peel it off. Penelope wore her new favorite dress, the one that looked like a Christmas tree, for the picture. She wanted to be festive.

Dave asked Spencer if he wanted to take off his coat too. He did, and both kids handed them to him. That meant he couldn’t hold their hands but it was doubtful they were gonna run away. Not when there was such important business to attend to right here.

“I never asked what Erin wanted for Christmas.” Penelope said. “Is there something I should tell Santa about?”

“That’s really sweet of you, Penelope, but I think making sure you kids have everything you need is most important to Erin. We adults are OK.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yep.” Dave nodded. “She’ll just be happy if Santa gets you everything you ask for.”

“See,” Penelope replied, looking at Spencer. “I told you guys that Erin’s nice. I mean she’s got some hardness too but deep down…right Uncle Dave?”

“Absolutely.”

When they finally got to the front of the line, Penelope rushed forward and hugged Santa. Spencer held back some but gave St. Nick a tentative wave. Santa held out his hand and pulled Spencer onto his lap. The photographer snapped the picture; Spencer immediately jumped down and went back over to Dave.

“He’s shy.” Dave explained.

“I see all kinds.” Santa replied. Then he turned to Penelope. “Ho, ho, ho, little lady, what do you want for Christmas?”

“Well Santa, I don’t wanna take up too much of your time cuz it’s a busy time of year. Let me start by saying that the beard is awesome. I've seen some lame Santa beards in my time but yours is pretty sweet.”

“Thank you.” Santa smiled.

“Now,” Penelope cleared her throat and opened her piece of yellow legal paper. “I wrote out a list. Let’s start with Morgan. He needs the new Air Jordan’s, Santa; they're the best sneakers out there. He wants the white high tops with the red swoosh…the red swoosh is very important. Size nine.

“Spencer wants a real live chemistry set; JJ needs a camera and a new journal. Hotch has been drooling over this awesome watch that can tick underwater and stuff. Emily doesn’t ask for much but I think a fancy messenger bag like one Lindsay has for school would make her happy. She’s been talking about Kate Spade.

“I don’t know who she is but I'm sure you do Santa, so maybe that. Emily’s favorite colors are red and black. She wears lots of black. Jason needs a new VCR…the old one ate _Dead Again_. It’s his favorite movie so a new VCR and a new tape would be great.”

“Well aren’t you a sweet little girl? What's your name?”

“Penelope.”

“That’s a great name, Penelope. You didn’t tell me what you wanted for Christmas.”

“Oh, well, I know this might be asking a lot but I want the new Supermodel Sadie doll. The redhead one; I've been thinking of going red. I want Sadie, the pink sports car, and the trunk full of clothes. I make my own clothes and they’re usually better but I gotta start somewhere, know what I mean? Yeah, so that’s what I want.” Penelope looked back at the long line. “I better go, Santa, this line is long. You're gonna have a busy day.”

“Tell me about it.” Santa replied.

“You want my list?” she asked. “I don’t want you to forget anything.”

“Nope,” he pointed to his head. “Santa keeps everything here in his old noggin. I won't forget.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Maybe you should give it to your dad; he’ll keep a good eye on it.”

“Oh that’s not my dad, that’s Uncle Dave.”

“Well Uncle Dave can watch over it.”

“Good thinking Santa; I appreciate it.” Penelope hopped down from his lap. “Merry Christmas!”

“Have a merry Christmas, Penelope.”

She waved and they walked over to the photographer’s village to purchase the photos. Penelope gave Dave the list. He slipped it into his pocket.

“Real Santa or not, kiddo?” Dave asked.

“Nope, definitely not. Real Santa would’ve known my name. But still, he’s a good representative. I'm confident he’ll deliver my message to the big guy. Right Reid?”

“I did like his beard.” Reid replied, not knowing what else to say.

Dave bought two 5x7 photographs and then handed the kids their coats back. He helped them bundle up before heading out to the car.

“Can we get pizza?” Penelope asked as she climbed into the front seat of the SUV and buckled her seatbelt.

“I'm sure Jason made a nice, nutritious dinner.” Dave replied. He helped strap Spencer into the booster seat in the back. He was still small, even for an eight year old. Jason was sure he would shoot up in height eventually but who knew how much weight he would gain. It surely wasn’t due to lack of eating. He must’ve had the metabolism of a panther…nothing ever stuck.

“Pizza is nutritious too. It has bread, vegetables, cheese, and meat. That’s four of the five food groups.”

“Stop listening to Morgan.” Dave said, climbing into the driver’s seat. “I’ll take you guys out for pizza some other time.”

“OK.” She smiled. She was pretty happy after her visit with Santa and getting to sit in the front seat. Plus Uncle Dave always listened to Frank Sinatra and she was starting to like that music. It wasn’t cool like the modern rock Emily listened to and you surely couldn’t bang your head to it like JJ’s metal, but it was kind of awesome anyway. “Don’t forget to take good care of my list. Santa might need it in case of emergency.”

“I have a good feeling Santa’s gonna be able to get everyone just what they want for Christmas.”

“You think?” Penelope gasped and then looked back at Spencer. “See, Spencer, I told you. Didn’t I tell you?”

“You did tell me…over and over and over again.” he said.

“It's gonna be the best Christmas ever!”

Dave smiled. He was feeling really good that he was able to do this. He knew Erin would too. Penelope was right, as she seemed to be about a lot of things. Deep down, there was softness in Erin that made her want this to be a very special day for the kids as well.

***

  



End file.
